


Paper Crows

by kaminaried



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: A lot of guns, Alternate Universe, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Heist, How Do I Tag, Kagehina centric, Kageyama Tobio is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, also ukai is a cop oops sorry, based off of the netflix series "money heist", don't need to have watched "money heist" to know what's happening, literally karasuno as a little family of criminals, lots of flashbacks, takeda is a criminal mastermind, this is only karasuno so sorry, this might get a little intense, tsukki is a hacker
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:53:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27588425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaminaried/pseuds/kaminaried
Summary: Kageyama Tobio had always preferred to work alone.So what does he do when faced with the choice of getting his ass caught by the police or getting into a car with a glasses-wearing stranger with a promise of pulling off the biggest heist in history?He gets in the car, of course.But to his surprise, it seems that rundown red sedans are harbingers of chaos, bloodshed, and stupid redheads who don't know when to shut up. Oh yeah, and a whole lot of cash.
Relationships: Azumane Asahi/Nishinoya Yuu, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Shimizu Kiyoko/Yachi Hitoka, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 8
Kudos: 23





	1. "call me the professor."

Kageyama Tobio had always preferred to work alone.

It wasn’t that he was opposed to working with a group per se. No, it was just that groups were too confusing, too much work to deal with, and he couldn’t control them in the way that he wanted.

Also, the last group he had worked with, a gang who had called themselves Kitagawa Daiichi, had stabbed him in the back, causing him to be left for dead for the police, and having his face plastered on every news outlet in Japan. It was this group that forced Kageyama to where he was in the current moment, a black hoodie concealing his face and he walked swiftly along a street he didn’t know the name of, trying desperately to evade the police who were definitely trying to find him after the complete failure of a heist that he was involved in mere hours earlier.

So yeah, he hated working with a group.

“Kageyama Tobio?” Kageyama stopped in his tracks when he heard a voice call out to him. Shit. He was caught. He was found. What could he do? He could run, yeah running was a good option. He readied himself to begin a quick escape, when the voice interrupted him yet again.

“I’m not with the police, in fact, I’m here to recruit you.” Kageyama rolled his eyes, feeling annoyed that the man would even bother to try and get him to join some sort of team. He managed to spare a few seconds to glance at the man, who was slowly trailing Kageyama in a rundown, red sedan. The man had a seemingly innocent face, with messy brown hair and big, round glasses that made his big brown eyes look even larger. He seemed to be in his late thirties, and looked like he should be working a boring, life-draining office job rather than trying to recruit one of the most notorious thieves in Japan’s recent history.

“What exactly would you be recruiting me for?” Kageyama grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets and beginning to walk swiftly down the sidewalk. The man, however, didn’t relent, and persisted in following the black-haired thief.

The man pulled up slightly in front of Kageyama and stopped, looking him in the eye with a gaze so intense that he stopped in his tracks.

“I’m creating a team, and we’re going to pull off the biggest heist in history.” Kageyama cocked an eyebrow up, forcing down a laugh that threatened to bubble up his throat. Was this guy crazy?

“Now you can either get in the car and I’ll take you to a place where the police can never find you, or you can keep walking and get caught because currently, the cops are about five minutes away from your exact location.” Shit. Well, Kageyama’s life couldn’t become any less of a hellhole, might as well add some more crazy into it. He could already hear the sirens in the distance, it was do or die at this point.

“Fine.” Kageyama sighed, quickly making his way to the passenger side and slipping in. The man in the glasses quickly sped off once the door was closed, sending Kageyama a smile that somehow chilled him to his very bone.

The two sat in silence for a while, the city slowly turning into countryside as glasses-man brought Kageyama to an unknown destination. What in the hell was he getting himself into? What if this man was lying to him, waiting for the perfect moment to stab Kageyama in the back and turn him in? There were too many unknowns for him to be comfortable with the situation.

He turned to the man driving the car, looking him up and down with a decisive eye before speaking.

“I think I deserve to know the name of the strange man who decided to pick up a thief off the street, don’t I?” His voice was steely, years of being on guard not wavering as his cold, blue eyes bore into the man sitting next to him.

The man simply chuckled, his eyes never leaving the road in front of him. He spared a glance towards Kageyama, sending him a smile.

“Just call me the Professor.”

-

The group of people that the Professor had put together, in Kageyama’s opinion, was a motley crew to say the least.

They sat in the attic of an old mansion in the countryside, desks and a chalkboard set up in a fashion that would resemble some sort of fucked up criminal classroom. There were twelve in the group if you included Kageyama, minus the Professor of course.

They were stripped of all their personal items and electronics, and it felt as if they were given a completely blank slate to create a whole new life and person with. The Professor has instructed them to choose codenames, and that no one in the team should ever know their true identity. Each person in the team had chosen the name of a city as their codename, and soon these codenames had become so natural to say that it felt like it was their given names.

Chicago was the leader of the group, wielding a power that came second only to the Professors. He was average height, with short brown hair and brown eyes and a strong build. He had a presence that commanded the room, and when provoked, had a glare that was so terrifying that even Kageyama surrendered to its power. His specialty was blunt-force weapons, but he was proficient in all aspects of what is needed to pull off a heist.

Ibiza was Chicago’s second-in-command, with silver hair and soft, grey eyes to match. He seemed like a caring and kind person, which confused Kageyama at first because how in the world could this man be a hardened, successful criminal? But after a few days, it became apparent as to why he was a valuable addition to the group. Hidden behind soft words and kind smiles was a personality that was commandeering, strong, and above all, chaotic as hell. He was an expert in breaking and entering, and had a penchant for using any kind of firearm given to him. Ibiza was a force to be reckoned with.

Next was Rome, who for a lack of better words, Kageyama despised. He was the tallest of a the group, with a lanky build, blonde hair, glasses, and a personality that would make a monk burn in anger. He was the hacker of the group, and apparently being the technology expert of the group also made him the worst smart-ass that Kageyama had ever encountered. He was incredible at his job, but Kageyama would never admit that to his face. Rome didn’t need an ego boost.

And always at Rome’s side, was Athens. Athens had soft brown hair and a myriad of freckles covering his face, and was quite a nice person if you encountered him at the rare moment when he wasn’t glued to Rome’s side. He’s a safe cracker, which meant that he excelled in opening safes and vaults, and was the resident code master. Incredibly talented at what he does, but once put with Rome he became an accomplice to Rome’s personal mission of making everyone hate him.

There was Madrid, who was a quiet man with short brown hair and brown eyes, almost reminding Kageyama of their leader, Chicago. However, contradictory to his laidback personality, he had a talent for taming the more, eccentric people in their group. He tended to keep to himself, but was also somehow always roped into Cairo and Budapest’s antics. Kageyama wasn’t sure what he did, but he seemed like he would be good at whatever his task would be. He wasn’t on the team for no reason.

Istanbul was next, and to say the man was intimidating was an understatement. With a tall stature, strong build, long brown hair and a frightening face, it was no surprise to learn that the man was the brute force of the group. His role was to subdue and make sure the hostages were kept in line, and with a presence like his, it seemed like he would be pretty damn good at his job. But despite his intimidating looks, Kageyama learned that the man was a gentle, anxious soul who even hesitated to kill the cockroach that scurried around his room. But he was assured that when the time came, Istanbul would step up to his role and perform as he should.

Then there was Cairo. He was a firecracker of a man, with a short stature, quiffed up hair and a personality that could only be described as explosive. And that description fit him well, for he was one of the resident weapons and explosives experts of the group. He was a ball of energy, had a loud voice, and a penchant for jumping up whenever he got excited. However, even though his personality made it seem otherwise, he was an extraordinarily dependable person. He was incredibly good at what he did, and made the atmosphere of the almost decrepit mansion they were staying in seem brighter.

Budapest was just like his counterpart Cairo, and worked as the second weapons and explosives expert of the group. He had a shaved head and boisterous persona, which could go from kind and encouraging to terrifyingly intimidating at the drop of a hat. Kageyama admired his strength, both mentally and physically, and had noted to himself that if he was ever in a pinch, Budapest was someone he could rely on. Not that Kageyama would rely on anyone, he still preferred to work alone. There was another thing about Budapest that was hard to ignore, and that was his not-so-subtle crush on London.

London was a gorgeous woman to say the least, and an expert on counterfeit bills. Put a real bill and a fake one in front of her, she would be able to detect the impostor in less than fifteen seconds. With pitch black hair and grey eyes that were hidden away behind a pair of glasses, she was a beautiful person, even Kageyama could admit that. She was quiet, only inputting information when she deemed necessary. She was kind, but her eyes were calculating every single move anyone made. Kageyama knew that she was definitely a force to be reckoned with.

And then there was Seoul. Out of all the people on the team, Seoul seemed to be the only one that Kageyama couldn’t figure out. With bright orange hair and a personality even louder than Cairo’s, how in the hell did this guy become a criminal seasoned enough to be a part of this team? But despite his loud, high-pitched voice and explosive personality, he was introduced as a master cat-burglar and infiltrator. Sure, his small stature probably made completing both of those jobs much easier, but it was a mystery as to how he managed to get his restless personality in control long enough to pull off a successful job.

And most of all, Seoul had a particular talent of picking fights with Kageyama. And even worse than that, Kageyama somehow found the stupid orangette _cute_. Yes, Seoul was the absolute worst.

Kageyama had chosen the codename “Shanghai” for himself, not for any particular reason other than he thought it sounded cool. He was a jack of all trades when it came to pulling off a heist, and despite being incredibly talented (if robbing banks was a talent) at what he did, he was also a bit of a control freak. And those controlling tendencies were exactly what got him in trouble with the last group he worked with. But despite their rag-tag appearance, Kageyama had decided that this group was at least a little better than those Kitagawa Daiichi assholes, and since he had no intention of leaving and probably getting caught by the police, he would stay and complete the job.

On the first day Kageyama had arrived, he was quick to realize that he was the last addition to the group. The Professor congregated the group into the attic, ordered them to complete a quick round of introductions (only revealing their specialties and codenames of course, any more personal information was off-limits), and delved straight into explaining his plan.

“Now, you all are probably wondering why I brought you all here.” The room broke out into grumbles, each person remarking with some form of ‘Obviously’, or ‘No shit sherlock’. The Professor shot them all a glare, which immediately shut all of them up. Once the room was quieted, the man in the glasses began to speak again.

“For years, I have dreamed of pulling off the perfect heist. And after years of meticulous planning and waiting, I believe I have come up with a strategy so fool-proof that the authorities could never dream of catching the culprits.” Now this had the whole room sitting on the edge of their seats. What had this seemingly unassuming man had to offer? “I chose each and every one of you because i believe you all have the perfect skills to pull off one of the biggest heists in not only Japan’s, but the entire world’s history.” The chalkboard, which was previously covered in a sheet, was revealed in a flourish.

On the blackboard was a picture of the Bank of Japan, and next to it a large, blown-up photo of the National Printing Bureau, where all of Japan’s money was printed and sent out from.

“We are going to rob the Bank of Japan.”


	2. "beat that, shanghai."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the team loves guns and afternoon drinking at picnic tables

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's like a quick rundown of the codenames for reference in case it's hard to remember!  
> kageyama - shanghai  
> hinata - seoul  
> daichi - chicago  
> suga - ibiza  
> tsukki - rome  
> yamaguchi - athens  
> asahi - istanbul  
> noya - cairo  
> tanaka - budapest  
> kiyoko - london  
> ennoshita - madrid  
> takeda - the professor

It had been two weeks since Kageyama, who was now known as Shanghai, had arrived with the Professor to what he had now dubbed the “heist mansion”. Sure, it wasn’t that creative, but Kageyama wasn’t going to waste time coming up with an elaborate nickname for the house they were staying at like Seoul did. Kageyama was sure that the name the red-head had come up with was along the lines of “Super Cool Best in the World Never Seen Before Ultra Awesome Heist Hideout”, but he wasn’t bothered enough to remember.

They were all given individual bedrooms for the duration of their stay, which Kageyama was incredibly grateful for. At the current moment, he was laying on his bed and contemplating the last two weeks of his life. His mind drifted back to their first day, when the Professor had begun to explain his incredibly elaborate plan to the group.

-

_What the fuck?_

_The entire room was silent was they processed what the Professor had just told him. He wanted them to try and rob the Bank of Japan? The most highly protected, practically impenetrable fort in all of Japan? What kind of drugs is this guy on?_

_“Now you all might be wondering, how in the hell would we be doing that?” Yeah, no shit. The Professor let out a chuckle at seeing all of the expressions of disbelief that made their way onto the team’s faces._

_“Well, I may have been exaggerating when I said we were going to be robbing the Bank of Japan.” He made his way to the blackboard, before pointing at the photo right next to the picture of the aforementioned bank. “We are going to be infiltrating the National Printing Bureau.”_

-

“SHANGHAI!” Kageyama’s thoughts were rudely interrupted by the door slamming open and a blaze of orange hair making an appearance in the doorway. Kageyama shot up into a sitting position, throwing his best glare at the red-head.

“What the hell do you want Seoul?” He growled, the orangette in the doorway only cowering for a second before steeling up again.

“We have shooting practice in five minutes, I wanted to make sure that your dumbass wasn’t late.” Seoul smirked, crossing his arms and waiting diligently for a response.

The Professor was requiring that they all attended lessons each day, whether it be medical training, firearm practice, or just sitting in the classroom and going over every single detail of the plan until the team members could recite it backwards and blindfolded.

“Shut up,” Kageyama grumbled, getting up from the bed. “I already knew that. And don’t pretend like I’m the dumbass here, dumbass.” He promptly shoved passed Seoul, making his way down the hallway.

“Wh-“ Seoul’s amber colored eyes widened as he realized just how much of a lead Kageyama currently had on him. “Not fair! I wasn’t ready!” A pout presented itself on the redhead’s lips as he ran to catch up with Kageyama’s much longer limbs.

As much as the blue-eyed man hated to admit it, him and Seoul have gotten close during the few weeks they have been cooped up in the mansion. Well, if the word ‘close’ was defined as Kageyama merely tolerating Seoul’s insistent presence, because for some goddamn reason the orange-haired man would simply not leave the taller man alone.

“Maybe you should be more observant then,” Kageyama retorted. “It’s a miracle you haven’t been locked up already with your skills.” Seoul let out an indignant scoff, a scowl forming on his face as he crossed his arms and turned his head away from the black-haired man. Kageyama rolled his eyes at the reaction, he knew that Seoul actually didn’t take his words to heart. This was simply the way the two talked to each other, insults and criticism were seemingly the only way the two could effectively communicate.

“You’re so mean to me Shanghai,” Seoul whined. “And I’m very good at what I do, I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.” He pointed out, and Kageyama merely let out a huff in response. He knew Seoul was right, but he’d rather rot in jail or take on of Chicago’s infamous scoldings before ever admitting that to the shorter man.

The pair rounded a corner, seeing the glass door to the backyard slightly ajar. They swiftly made their way outside, seeing that the rest of the group was already congregated around a picnic table.

About seventy feet away stood dozens of shooting targets, ranging from a simple target to ones that resembled a human torso. A display of firearms sat atop of the picnic table, a shiny array of weapons ranging from a simple handgun to a large and deadly AK-47. Boxes of ammo were also scattered with the weapons, the metal glinting in the afternoon sunlight.

The pair approached the table, the Professor greeting them with a smile and a clap of his hands.

“Now that everyone is here, let’s get started shall we?” The group let out a chorus of ‘yeahs’ and ‘let’s do it’s’. “We’re going to start with the semi-automatics today,” Cairo and Budapest let out a whoop of excitement at the Professor’s words. “I want to study all of your skills individually today, so let’s line up single file. Chicago, why don’t you start us off?” The Professor really lived up to his name, always treating each practice session like he was a teacher running a classroom of high-school students.

Chicago, being the ever-so-diligent leader that he was, picked up an AK-47 off the table and made his way to the line that the Professor had made with tape to indicate the distance away from the targets.

Turning off the safety, Chicago quickly set himself into a shooting position, easily maneuvering the firearm to where he could efficiently use it. Closing his left eye shut a tad, he he stood for a moment to ensure his aim before pulling the trigger.

In an instant, loud shots began to ring out as bullets began to fly through the air, piercing the target through its chest and head. A myriad of holes presented themselves on the dummy, a mere five seconds passing before Chicago loosened his hold on the trigger, the bullets stopping their assault as he did.

They were lucky that the land around the mansion was empty for miles, because the sounds of them shooting off guns nearly every day would definitely lead to some suspicion if they had any neighbors.

Chicago let out a breath and lowered the weapon, taking some time to survey his work before turning to the Professor.

“Nice work Chicago,” The Professor praised, a smile gracing his features. “Ibiza, you’re next.”

The silver-haired man grinned, taking the AK out of Chicago’s outstretched hands. He fiddled a bit with the weapon, getting a good feel for the weight in his hands.

Ibiza stepped up to the line, only taking a split-second to take aim before unleashing a flurry of bullets onto a target. Each bullet pierced directly through the head and heart area, a shiver running down Kageyama’s spine as he surveyed just how accurate the silver-headed man’s aim was. He definitely does not ever want to be on the receiving end of an attack from Ibiza.

The sound of bullets died out after a few seconds, and Ibiza slowly lowered the gun as he admired his effort. He let out a hum of approval at his handiwork, before promptly handing the gun to Istanbul.

The large man handled the gun as if it was going to come alive at any moment and shoot him in the head, but stepped up and took aim nonetheless. Istanbul managed to get a good amount of shots into vital areas, but it was clear that the man was far more comfortable handling a blunt weapon than a gun.

The series of handing off and shooting went on, going down the line as each member showed off their marksmanship skills to the Professor. Even Rome, who had insisted that it was pointless for him to have weapons training since he was just going to be working the cameras and other techy things the entire time, managed to show off a decent amount of skill.

Finally, the only two who were left were Kageyama and Seoul, the latter looking up at the taller man with shining eyes and a smirk plastered on his face.

“Hey Shanghai, I bet I can get more headshots than you,” The orange-haired man challenged. It had become practically a ritual for the two to compete at everything they did, whether it be shooting practice or washing the dishes after mealtime.

“You’re on dumbass, don’t shoot yourself while you’re at it.” Kageyama scoffed, Seoul picking the weapon up out of London’s waiting hands.

“Loser has to do the other one’s laundry for a week.” Seoul proposed, being met with a huff and nod from the blue-eyed man.

“Deal.” With the words of confirmation from Kageyama, Seoul walked up to the line.

A fresh target had been set up, free of any bullet holes from the previous member’s trials. Seoul took a few moments to get a feel for the firearm in his hand, fiddling with the trigger before settling the weapon into a comfortable position in his arms.

Kageyama would’ve laughed at the sight, seeing that the weapon looked nearly as big as the one who was holding it. It seemed almost comical, until he saw the look of sheer determination and concentration that had overtaken the redhead’s features. Seoul almost looked, _scary_. It was the complete opposite of the man’s normally cheerful and dopey expression, and in a way, it frightened Kageyama.

Seoul’s breathing steadied, and he took a few moments to steady his aim before releasing a storm of bullets into the target.

Kageyama had seen Seoul work with a gun before, but he had never seen Seoul with such a look of concentration. If he was being honest, watching Seoul as he unleashed a flurry of destruction upon the target made him feel breathless. Each bullet hit its mark nearly perfectly, save for a few that had managed to lodge themselves into the shoulder and chest. The redhead was incredibly talented with a gun, to say the least.

Those few seconds that passed while Seoul’s finger steadily pulled the trigger felt like a lifetime, the blare of shots slowly diminishing as his finger let up.

“Impressive,” The Professor exalted, Seoul’s look of intense focus dissolving back into his trademark sunshine smile.

“Beat that Shanghai,” Seoul handed the raven-head the gun, the shorter man clearly feeling accomplished as he sauntered back to where the rest of the group was standing, smiling sheepishly as Cairo and Budapest showered him with praise for his performance.

Kageyama smiled as he felt the weight of the weapon in his hands, walking up to the line and taking his mark. It felt almost natural to have the firearm in his hands, the familiar weight and size of the AK feeling comfortable to the black-haired man. He had used the model several times before, and was pretty proficient at using it to say the least.

He set his pointer finger on the trigger, adjusting the weapon so it sat more comfortably in his arms. Closing his left eye ever so slightly he took his aim, his blue orbs zeroing in on the head of the target before pulling the trigger. Instantaneously, the sound of bullets being shot off rang in his ears, but even the roaring sound in his eardrums could not break his concentration.

It almost felt like the world was moving in slow motion as each bullet left the chamber of the gun, zooming through the air and impaling itself into the target. Kageyama felt a breeze brush through his hair, and immediately adjusted his aim to accommodate for the handicap.

His few seconds ran their course, and Kageyama let his finger off of the trigger. Lowering the weapon, he took a few moments to study his handiwork before grinning triumphantly.

Every single bullet had hit their mark perfectly, not a single one out of place.

Kageyama clicked the safety back on the gun, letting the gun hang to his side as he turned around to face the group.

The whole group was whispering amongst themselves, looks of awe written on their faces as discussed Kageyama’s practically perfect target practice. Well, all of them except for one.

Seoul stood unmoving, his big brown eyes fixated on Kageyama with his jaw dropped. His eyes sparkled a bit, never once leaving the blue-eyed man’s form even as the latter approached him with a smirk stretching itself across his lips.

“Looks like you’re doing the laundry this week, dumbass.”

His words shook Seoul out of his daze, leaving the red-head sputtering for a snarky retort.

“Curse you and your perfect everything,” Seoul muttered under his breath, but the words managed to flow into Kageyama’s ears nonetheless. He pushed down the blush that was threatening to appear on his face at the shorter man’s words, instead replacing it with a an air of nonchalance, but never once breaking eye contact with Seoul.

Kageyama was broken out of his moment by Cairo and Budapest jumping onto his back and ruffling his hair, the pair having to be ripped off of him by Chicago after a few seconds.

While the leader scolded the rambunctious pair (Kageyama honestly found it a mystery as to how Cairo and Budapest were somehow his seniors), Ibiza managed to steal Kageyama away from the group.

“That was really impressive Shanghai,” Ibiza praised him, the words from the older man somehow sending warmth through Kageyama’s system. Ibiza, while a complete force of nature, also had a caring, nurturing side that the entire team found comfort in.

“Thank you Ibiza,” Kageyama bowed his head slightly. “Your accuracy is incredible.” He added, making the silver-headed man smile and let out an airy laugh.

Ibiza opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by the Professor announcing that lunch was ready.

The picnic table had been cleared of firearms, now being covered in an array of food and alcohol. The team had already begun to gather, sitting around the large table with a cheery disposition.

Ibiza sent Kageyama a soft smile before making his way towards Chicago, the leader having saved a seat for the silver-headed man. Kageyama on the other hand, stood awkwardly a few feet away, still not completely comfortable with, well, any kind of social situation.

“C’mon Shanghai,” Kageyama was surprised to see Seoul pulling on his wrist. It seemed as if the redhead had gotten over the crushing defeat that Kageyama had dealt to him a few minutes prior, his signature bright smile now stretched across his face. “You look stupid just standing there.” Seoul then proceeded to drag Kageyama to the picnic table, sitting him down on the bench then promptly seating himself next to him.

Kageyama let out a few grumbles of discontentment, crossing his arms over his chest as he surveyed the table.

The group was as rambunctious as ever, praising each other for their shooting abilities or just rambling on and on about who knows what. The food was being passed around casually, everyone taking their fill as Ibiza walked around with a bottle of wine, giving each cup a generous fill.

It was almost as if they were a real family, not a rag-tag group of criminals who planned to pull off the biggest heist in history.

Sure, Kageyama hated working with a team. But as he looked at the people he was surrounded with, (including Seoul, who was currently pestering Kageyama to pass him the salt), he couldn’t help but feel like this was a team that he could tolerate.


	3. "my boyfriend and i are accountants."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> shanghai and seoul go on a mission in the outside world, completed with itchy wigs, holding hands, and security guards who just can't mind their own business.

“This feels stupid,” Kageyama grumbled, adjusting the curly brown wig that sat on top of his head. He blinked a few times, still trying to get used to the green colored contacts that had been placed in his eyes. To say he felt a little uncomfortable was an understatement. 

“It’s not like we can go out without a disguise, Mr. Everyone-In-Japan-Knows-My-Face.” Seoul retorted, fixing his own jet black wig so it rested comfortably atop his head. It was odd and slightly disturbing to see Seoul without his signature blazing orange curls atop his head, the wavy black wig being the complete opposite of his normal hairdo. However he didn’t have colored contacts like Kageyama did, so he had it a little easier.

It was the pair’s turn to go on a reconnaissance mission, with the task of scouting out the National Printing Bureau and get a better idea of the space they were going to be taking over in a month’s time. Everyone had already gone in pairs, and Kageyama and Seoul were the last duo that had yet to explore the Bureau.

“Shut up you dumbass,” Kageyama growled, finally fixing his wig to where it was comfortable on his head. “Let’s just get this over with and go home.” The pair had finally arrived at the Bureau, marveling at the huge building that they had only seen in pictures thus far.

It was large and ornate, with huge marble pillars supporting the entrance. Windows lined the entire front, and it looked more like a rich CEO’s mansion than the building where all of Japan’s money is printed.

The Professor had bought them tickets to enter and take a self-guided tour of the building, so they wouldn’t have to deal with tour guides or having to interact without anyone else. It seemed like a pretty ideal situation for a bunch of fugitives trying to scout out their next hit. 

They put on face masks in order to further conceal their identity, and thankfully wearing masks is the norm in Japan so they didn’t look very out of place. The pair casually walked up the steps and entered through the large front doors, quietly handing the woman at the desk their tickets.

She swiftly scanned them then handed them back, directing them towards the security checkpoint, thankfully with not much to say. The two proceeded through the checkpoint, placing all of their belongings onto a conveyor belt and stepping through a metal detector. After gathering their belongings, they made their way through a pair of electronic sliding doors and finally entered the lobby. 

Seoul let out an audible gasp as he surveyed the lobby, amber eyes sparkling brightly.

The lobby was gigantic, a large, black marble staircase being the main attraction of the room. Kageyama observed the large stained glass window that was embedded into the wall where the staircase split in two, either side of the stairs leading up to a balcony that defined the upper floor of the room. 

The walls were colored a shade of dark green, with various glass cases displaying artifacts and pictures of the history of the Bureau lining the edges of the room. The ceiling was made of glass, forming a dome shape. Dark brown wood carvings ran up and down the walls, the same wood also lining where the top of the first floor met the balcony.

“This place is so cool!” Seoul squealed, sending Kageyama a bright smile before practically skipping into the center of the lobby. A few people milled about, too engrossed in the various artifacts to take note of the redhead (well, currently he was black-haired) and his antics.

“Oy,” Kageyama followed his short companion, pulling him back by the collar as the man in front of his attempted to run to an 18th century printing machine that was stationed in the corner of the room. “Quit acting like a kid, you’re gonna attract attention.” He hissed into Seoul’s ear, his words clearly having an affect on the shorter man as he immediately straightened up. He pulled Seoul over to a random framed photo, upon closer inspection it was a picture of the first Bureau that was constructed sometime in the 1800s.

Kageyama leant down to Seoul’s ear, placing a hand on the shorter man’s shoulder as an attempt to look natural.

“There’s a camera in every corner of the room, try your best to not let them see your whole face.” He whispered, being met with a nod from the redhead. The pair casually went from artifact to artifact, whispering random bullshit into each other’s ears as an attempt to look like they were having a smart conversation about the random old object that sat in front of them.

“Shanghai this is boring,” Seoul whined as they made their way down the row. “Let’s go upstairs!” With those words he grabbed Kageyama by the wrist, promptly beginning to drag the taller man to the staircase.

“Y-You’re gonna draw attention to us dumbass,” Kageyama seethed, trying desperately to ignore how warm Seoul’s hand felt against his cold skin. The duo made their way up the stairs, Seoul pulling Kageyama while dodging the poor souls that were just trying to go down the stairs, muttering a ‘Sorry!’ and “Excuse me!’ while passing each one.

They finally reached the top of the stairs, Seoul pulling Kageyama into a seemingly empty hallway. Said hallway was lined with windows, each side giving a view of the working printing machines below. 

“Why in the hell did you do that,” Kageyama growled, taking a few moments to catch his breath. Despite his small stature, Seoul was fast and above all, way stronger than Kageyama had anticipated. 

The redhead in question ignored the taller man, instead letting out a gasp as he ran over to look through the windows into the printing rooms below. Kageyama, who was not yet freed of Seoul’s strong grip, was consequently pulled along too.

“Uwah! This is so cool!” Seoul’s free hand was pressed against the glass, eyes wide as he surveyed the printing machines working diligently below. Workers scurried around below, checking controls and making sure everything was running smoothly. It was an impressive sight to see, all topped off with hundreds of bills being produced by the minute. The pair stood there for a few moments, completely entranced at the sight they were witnessing, the place where they were going to be collecting their bounty in only a month’s time. 

“Hey! You two!” Shit. The duo slowly turned their heads, hearts racing as they saw a goddamn  _ security guard _ walking in their direction. Kageyama swallowed thickly, hoping that the sheer panic he was feeling inside wasn’t showing on his face. With a quick glance he looked down at Seoul, who was also trying to swallow down his emotions but was clearly failing, seeing how his face tightened and the grip on Kageyama’s wrist became like a vice. 

The security guard stopped in front of the pair, a stern look on his face as he looked the two up and down. 

“Were you two the ones running up the stairwell? We had a few complaints about your behavior.”

Holy. Fucking. Shit. Kageyama let out a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding in, the tension and panic about being caught slowly melting away from his body. He stiffened his position, quickly lowering himself into a bow. Seoul had managed to loosen himself up to do the same, but his grip still held tight around Kageyama’s wrist.

“I apologize for our behavior, my companion was excited to see the printing machines. I can assure you that we will not be disruptive again.” Kageyama said, his eyes locked on his sneakers as they waited with baited breath for the security guard’s response. 

“Fine,” They heard the security officer begin, and a look of relief made its way onto Kageyama’s face. He stood up from the bow, pulling Seoul along with him. “But this is your final warning. If someone else reports you two for unruly behavior, I will have to kick you out.” The man warned, and the pair nodded in response.

The security guard began to walk away, and just as Kageyama and Seoul were about to finally feel the full relief of not being caught, he abruptly turned back.

“You seem familiar, do I know you from somewhere?” He looked Kageyama up and down, and the man in question could feel his heart drop into his stomach. Shit.

“You must be mistaken, we’ve never been to Tokyo before.” Seoul piped up, slowly moving his hand down from Kageyama’s wrist, slipping their hands together and quickly intertwining their fingers. Kageyama shot a questioning look at the shorter man, being met with a ‘Please just trust me this once’ look. 

“Oh really? Are you some sort of actor then? I swear I’ve seen you on TV before,” The security guard took a few steps forward, eyes squinting slightly as he studied Kageyama’s features. The taller man was currently thanking every god he could think of that the Professor forced him to wear the godforsaken wig and contacts.

Seoul let out a light laugh, gripping tightly at Kageyama’s hand. “My boyfriend and I are accountants, we’re currently visiting from Miyagi for our fourth anniversary.” The lie flew out of Seoul’s mouth so fluently that even Kageyama was almost driven to believe him.

Wait. Boyfriend? 

Fuck. Kageyama coughed, swallowing down the blush that was creeping up his neck. Boyfriends? Even if it was a lie to get them out of being caught, he couldn’t deny that it made him feel flustered. Stupid Seoul and his blush-inducing lies. 

“Oh,” The security guard took a step back, and Kageyama let out a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding in. “I’m sorry for bothering you. I’ll leave for now, but please refrain from being disruptive. Congratulations on your anniversary.” The security guard lowered into a quick bow, giving the pair another look before walking away.

The duo watched with bated breaths as the security guard disappeared at the end of the hallway. Once his form was completely out of sight, the pair almost fell over with relief.

“Holy shit that was close,” Seoul sighed, closing his eyes for a moment and leaning into Kageyama’s shoulder. And as much as Kageyama liked the feeling of Seoul’s body touching him, he practically shoved the man away from him as reality set in.

“Boyfriends? Seriously? Couldn’t you have come up with a better excuse than that?” Kageyama seethed, hoping that Seoul was too dumb to notice that his neck and ears were a blazing red and thanking the mask he was wearing for covering up his probably bright red cheeks.

“Would you rather me whip off your wig and send you to the slammer? Don’t be an idiot Shanghai,” Seoul rolled his eyes. “It was the first thing I thought of, so quit being an asshole about it.” Despite his mouth being covered with a mask, Kageyama knew for a fact that Seoul had a pout on his face. 

“Whatever.” Kageyama grumbled, the two standing still as an awkward silence settled between them. Fuck, now things were weird. 

Then without warning, Kageyama grabbed Seoul’s hand and relaced their fingers. The gesture took Seoul by surprise, evident by the wide-eyed gaze and the hint of red that colored the tips of his ears.

“W-Wait what? You just got all pissy at me for pretending we’re dating but now you want to hold my hand?”

“Yes.”

“Can you at least explain why?”

Seoul was sputtering at this point, yet he made no indication he wanted to remove his hand from his companions.

“You told that security guard we’re dating. In case we see him again, we should keep acting like we’re dating.” The tall man reasoned, praying that his hands weren’t sweating. In reality, he had no real reason to keep holding Seoul’s hand, other than he kind of wanted to. Keeping up their fake relationship was simply an afterthought, not that Kageyama would ever admit to it. 

“I-” Seoul looked like he wanted to argue, but took a few seconds to reconsider. “Okay. Just because I don’t want you to get thrown into jail,” He paused. “Honeybun.” It didn’t take a genius to tell that beneath that mask of his, Seoul was trying to hold back his laughter.

Kageyama almost vomited at the pet name, the tender nickname that the redhead had given him being far too cutesy for the ravenette’s liking. 

“If you call me that again, I will shoot you in the foot.”

“Bah! So harsh Shanghai!” Seoul cried, placing his free hand on his chest in offense. Kageyama rolled his eyes, beginning to lead the other man down the hallway.

“Whatever. Let’s just finish up here and get back.” Their hands stayed weaved together as they made their way into a different section of the building, eager to complete their mission and head back to their sweet haven of a heist hideout.

“Yes! Cairo told me that him and Budapest managed to convince the Professor to get them a Wii, I’m totally gonna beat your ass in Mario Kart.” Seoul exclaimed, skipping happily next to Kageyama. Seoul’s incredible talent of lightening up the mood never failed to surprise the blue-eyed man, who was simply not bothered enough to reprimand or make fun of Seoul for his childish antics. 

“Like you’d ever beat me in anything, Dumbass.” Kageyama scoffed, casting a glance at the shorter man next to him.

“Mark my words Shanghai, I will beat you one day.” Seoul stood proudly, a challenge laced in his voice as he stared defiantly up at the taller man.

“I’d like to see you try.”


End file.
